St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-17

saw Mrs Bray. She was reading note
aloud
did not even allow myself to play the
mourner. Contempt of my lover had taken
the place of love.
He would know l. Ibid not grieve for him;
and | asked good old Mr. Halloran to be
my escort, and went TO the party next
evening with smile on my face, though
my heart ached sorely and life seemed
cold and cruel thing to me.
They told me was gay that night. l chat
ted, ate and drank. / danced whenever
was asked to do so. All the while the words
OF that letter Harry had written to Mrs.
Bray were in my heart
When old Mr.. Halloran took me home he
told me l had ''weared myself out and
was beginning to feel it," Butt was strong
yet.
II declare l never was so surprised, she
said. Il thought he was in love with that
little girl. All! there she comes"
She hurried away as she spoke, in as
Sumed terror. The next moment | saw
Ellie speak to her. and white paper pass
into her hand. Whatever it was she knew
and would tell me- She did. That even
ing she brought letter INTO my room-a
letter that Mrs. Bray had exhibited TO all
the hOuSe-a love letter from Harry Heath
cote, tenderer and more passionate than any
he had ever written to me and with his
undoubted signature at its foot. 1t was no
forgery. | even knew the paper; rare
and costly kind with his own monogram
upon it, 1t began Darling" and ended
Your own Harry"
l did not scream, | did not swOOn; faced
the terrible truth as best might. She had
won him from me; but was in no wise to
blame. L was true. L was Sinned against,
not SHINING, and the blow should not crush
me-
Tomorrow | had work to do that would
demand all my strength. TO take the mat
ter into my own hand, TO wiite All adieu to
Charlie, send him back the gifts and letters
in my possession and ask mine OF him. AS
| went up stairs old Mrs. Horton looked
| out OF her room.
Your beau was here Tonight" she
said; Il expect he was cut up to find you
out, but Mrs. Bray took care of him."
l tried to laugh. All my life l felt | must
now laugh when had rather cry. me
hide my heart. No one should call must
disappointed woman. No one should
speak of me as one who had been Tilted
l wrapped myself in my dressing gown
and sat before the fire. l could not sleep.
l could not even lie down. The clock
struck r. l.. 2. and still | watched the
dying emberS. Ten minutes more had
| gone by, when suddenly a frightful shrek
rang through the house-another and
another. rushed to the door. Other pea
pie were in the entry. The shrieks came
from Mrs. Bray's room, and. ere we could
open it it was flung wide and she rushed
toward us, her long white night robe all
abaze. Il horrible moving column of fire.
,l~,% 81, .rt,t In,NFf
know what L did. l cannot remember any
thing more until had her down upon the
floor with blanket had snatched from a
pile that lay OH the table in the entry
wrapped about her, | heard myself cry
ing. Lie still and you will save your face."
And | saw the flames choke out and the
light, black finder floating about me, and |
knew that had at least saved her from
being quite burned to death. Soon knew
that had saved her life.
1t was night again when some one came
to my door and told NE that Mrs. Bray
wished to see ME. OF course, l went to
her. She was lying in her bed wrapped in
bandages, and she could not stir, but she
looked at me earnestly.
Send them out of the room.' see said.
Il want to speak to you alone"
And when the nurse had closed the door
between herself and. Mrs. Horton, she
looked at me again4p the same strange
way.
You saved my life" she said. Eyes.
and | remember what you said: Lie still
and you'll save your face Most women
would have liked me to have spoiled my
face had used them so. And you don't
know the world, either. Go to that desk.
There's letter there. It's yours.
wanted to make you jealous, and l wrote
to your beau to ask his escort somewhere.
1.-TWO notes came at the same time to the
house L knew very well that there was
mistake made-that mine had
been put into your envelope and
| yours into mine. l scratched
| your name out of that one you have there.
and showed it about TO make you jealous.
He's as true as steel to you. | love, you for
saving my face, and tell you that, Now
try to forgive me-"
1 was too happy to do anything else.
knew that what she said was true And
w hen she asked me L stopped down and
gave her kiss.
1t was our last interview. When Mrs.
Bray recovered she left Mrs. Horizons and
Harry Heathcote never knew anything
about those two miserable days until l had
been his wife too long to have any secrets
from him.